Wind-whipped Laurel Fires Snarl Traffic, Send Smoke Across Region
Fire at mulch factory burned out of control.
A fire whipped by strong winds burned out of control at a mulch plant in Laurel Saturday afternoon, closing parts of I-95 and snarling traffic for miles. Some 10 fire trucks responded to a second fire at a shopping mall, Prince George’s County Fire/EMS officials said. Traffic was backed up for miles and smoke could be seen from I-95 and Route 1 as firefighters battled the blaze at the mulch factory on Van Dusen Road. Southbound lanes I-95 near the Route 198 exit were shut down as flames spread due to strong winds across the region. “Van Dusen is still burning out of control,” said Mark Brady, Prince George’s County Fire/EMS spokesperson. The other fire, reported to be at the Burlington Coat Factory in the 14700 block of Baltimore Avenue, …
